You are here

Terms Of Service

General Terms and Conditions for hostel Accommodation Contracts (version of June 25th, 2017)

I. Scope of Applicability
1. These Terms and Conditions govern contracts for the rental use of hostel rooms for lodging purposes, as well as all other goods and services rendered by the hostel for the customer.
2. The prior written consent of the hostel is required if rooms provided are to be sublet or rented to other parties or used other than for lodging purposes, whereby §540, para. 1, sentence 2 German Civil Code is waived insofar as the customer is not a consumer.
3. The customer’s general terms and conditions shall apply only if these are previously expressly agreed in writing.

II. Conclusion of Contract, Parties, Liability, Statute of Limitations
1. The contract shall come into force upon the hostels acceptance of the customer’s application. At its discretion, the hostel may confirm the room reservation in writing.
2. The parties to the contract are the hostel and the customer. If a third party placed the order on behalf of the customer, then that party shall be liable vis-à-vis the hostel for all obligations arising from the hostel accommodation contract as joint and several debtor together with the customer, insofar as the hostel has a corresponding statement by the third party.
3. Any claims against the hostel shall generally be time-barred one year after the commencement of the general statute of limitations dependent upon knowledge of §199, para. 1 German Civil Code. Damage claims shall be time-barred after five years, independent of knowledge. The reduction of the statute of limitation periods shall not apply for claims which are based on an intentional or grossly negligent breach of obligation by the hostel.

III. Services, Prices, Payment, Set-Off
1. The hostel is obligated to keep the rooms reserved by the customer available and to render the agreed services.
2. The customer is obligated to pay the applicable or agreed hostel prices for rooms provided and for other services used. This shall also apply to the hostel’s services
and outlays to third parties caused by the customer.
3. The agreed prices include applicable value-added tax as required by law. If the
period between conclusion and fulfillment of the contract exceeds four months and
if the price generally charged by the hostel for such services increases, then the
hostel may raise the contractually agreed price to a reasonable extent but not,
however, by more than five percent.
4. Moreover, the hostel may change prices if the customer later wishes to make
changes in the number of reserved rooms, the hostel’s services, or the length of
guests’ stay, and the hostel consents to such changes.
5. hostel invoices not showing a due date are payable and due in full within ten
days of receipt. The hostel shall be entitled at any time to make accumulating
accounts receivable payable and due and to demand payment without undue delay.
With default of payment, the hostel shall be entitled to demand the respectively
applicable statutory default interest in the amount of currently 8% or, with legal
transactions with a consumer, in the amount of 5% above the base interest rate.
The hostel reserves the right to prove greater damage.
6. The hostel is entitled to require a reasonable advance payment or security
deposit upon conclusion of the contract or thereafter, observing the legal provisions
for package tours. The amount of the advance payment and payment dates may be
agreed in writing in the contract.
7. The customer may only set-off or reduce a claim by the hostel with a claim which
is undisputed or decided with final, res judicata effect.

IV. Repudiation by Customer (Cancellation, Annulment)/Failure to Use hostel
Services (No Show)
1. Cancellation by the customer of the contract concluded with the hostel requires
the hostel’s written consent. If such is not given, then the price agreed in the
contract must be paid even if the customer does not avail himself of the contractual
services. This shall not apply with the breach of obligation of the hostel to take into
account the rights, objects of legal protection and interests of the customer, if
holding to the contract is no longer reasonable or another statutory or contractual
cancellation right exists.
2. Up to 72 hours prior to arrival, the customer may cancel the contract up to that
date without incurring payment or damage compensation claims by the hostel. The
customer’s right of cancellation shall expire if he does not exercise his cancellation
right in writing vis-à-vis the hostel by the agreed date, insofar as no case pursuant
to Nr. 1, sentence 3 supra exists. For groups over 11 members: Up to 14 days prior
to arrival, the customer may cancel the contract up to that date without incurring
payment or damage compensation claims by the hostel.
3. If rooms are not used by the customer, the hostel must apply credit for the
income from renting the rooms to other parties and also for saved expenses.
4. At its discretion, the hostel may demand the contractually agreed compensation
and to make a flat-rate deduction for saved expenses. In this case, the customer is
obligated to pay 90% of the contractually agreed rate for lodging with or without
breakfast. The customer is at liberty to show that the claim mentioned above was
not created or not created in the amount demanded.

V. Repudiation by hostel
1. To the extent that a right of cost-free cancellation within a certain period was
agreed in writing for the customer, the hostel is entitled for its part to cancel the
contract during that period if there are inquiries from other customers regarding the
contractually reserved rooms and the customer does not waive his right of
rescission upon inquiry thereof by the hostel.
2. If an agreed advance payment or an advance payment demanded pursuant to
Item III, Nr. 6 supra is not made even after a reasonable grace period set by the
hostel has expired, then the hostel is likewise entitled to cancel the contract.
3. Moreover, the hostel is entitled to effect extraordinary cancellation of the contract
for a materially justifiable cause, e.g. if force majeure or other circumstances for
which the hostel is not responsible make it impossible to fulfill the contract; rooms
are reserved with misleading or false information regarding material facts, such as
the identity of the customer or the purpose; the hostel has justified cause to believe
that use of the hostel’s services might jeopardize the smooth operation of the
hostel, its security or public reputation, without being attributable to the hostel’s
sphere of control or organization; there is a breach of the item I. Nr. 2 supra
4. The customer can derive no right to compensation from justified cancellation by
the hostel.
5. Customers arriving under the influence of alcohol, be it the smallest amount, will
not be permitted entrance. Consumption of alcohol inside the building is forbidden
unless the reception explicitly allows it. Violation of these rules constitutes a breach
of contract and will result in the hostel demanding full payment for the reservation.
The customer can derive no right to compensation from justified cancellation by the
hostel.

VI. Room Availability, Delivery and Return
1. The customer does not acquire the right to be provided specific rooms.
2. Reserved rooms are available to the customer starting at 2:00 p.m. on the
agreed arrival date. The customer does not have the right to earlier availability.
3. Rooms must be vacated and made available to the hostel no later than 11:00
noon on the agreed departure date. After that time, on the grounds of the delayed
vacating of the room for use exceeding the contractual time, the hostel may charge
50% of the full accommodation rate (list price) for the additional use of the room
until 6:00 p.m. (after 6:00 p.m.: 100%). The customer is at liberty to show the hostel
that it incurred no or much lesser claim to use damages.

VII. Liability of the hostel
1. The hostel is liable to exercise the duty of care of an ordinary merchant with the
performance of its obligations arising from the contract. Claims of the customer for
reimbursement of damages are precluded except for such which result from injury
to life, body or health and the hostel is responsible for the breach of the obligation,
other damage which is caused from an intentional or grossly negligent breach of
obligation and damage which is caused from an intentional or negligent breach of
obligations of the hostel which are typical for the contract. A breach of obligation of
the hostel is deemed to be the equivalent to a breach of a statutory representative
or employee. Should disruptions or defects in the performance of the hostel occur,
the hostel shall act to remedy such upon knowledge thereof or upon objection
without undue delay by the customer. The customer shall be obliged to undertake
actions reasonable for him to eliminate the disruption and to keep any possible
damage at a minimum.

VIII. Final Provisions
1. Amendments and supplements to the contract, the acceptance of applications, or
these General Terms and Conditions for hostel Accommodation should be made in
writing. Unilateral amendments and supplements by the customer are not valid.
2. Place of performance and payment is the location of the hostel’s registered
office.
3. In the event of dispute, including disputes for checks and bills of exchange, the
courts at the location of the hostel’s registered office shall have exclusive
jurisdiction for commercial transactions. Insofar as a contracting party fulfills the
requirements of §38, para. 2 of the German Code of Civil Procedure and does not
have a general venue within the country, the courts at the location of the hostel’s
registered office shall have jurisdiction.
4. The contract is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws
of the Federal Republic of Germany. The application of the UN Convention on the
International Sale of Goods and the conflict of laws are precluded.
5. Should individual provisions of these General Terms and Conditions for hostel
Accommodation be or become invalid or void, the validity of the remaining
provisions shall remain unaffected thereby. The statutory provisions shall also be
applicable.